A headset is a headphone, which is normally combined with a microphone, and which is becoming more and more widely used in telecommunication. Especially wireless headsets are increasingly popular.
Such headsets provide hands free operation as the user while speaking through the headset can use his hands for other purposes, such as driving his car, open doors, using a computer etc.
Wireless headsets are increasingly used with mobile phones, public switched (PSTN) phones, personal computers, softphones, transportable music players etc.
Wireless headsets following the Bluetooth standard are becoming popular, especially for use with mobile phones. But also headsets following other wireless standards such as DECT are becoming more and more popular.
Bluetooth is an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs). Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, headsets, laptops, personal computers, printers, GPS receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency.
The Bluetooth standard and communications protocol is primarily designed for low power consumption, with a short range (power-class-dependent: 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters) based on low-cost transceiver microchips in each device.
Bluetooth enables these devices to communicate with each other when they are in range. The devices use a radio communications system, so they do not have to be in line of sight of each other, and can even be in other rooms, as long as the received transmission is powerful enough.
Because of the limited size of a headset and because it is desirable to operate it while located out of sight on the user's head or ear, interaction with the user becomes a challenge. The user interface normally consists of a few buttons and a light emitting diode. In some cases a small display is provided on the side of the headset.
Many modern mobile phones have voice dialing features so that the user can make a phone call by speaking a name instead of entering a number manually or choosing it from the internal phone book. As an example, The Nokia 6300 mobile phone has a voice dialing function, where the phone speaks a name from the internal phone book if it corresponds to a name spoken by the user. Hereafter, the phone dials the (first) number belonging to this name.
WO 2006/031685 A2 discloses a headset, which is wirelessly connected to a mobile phone and where voice tags are stored in the mobile phone. When a call is received, a previously recorded voice tag is played and the user can hear it through the headset. If no associated voice tag is stored on the mobile phone a voice-synthesized indication of the telephone number corresponding to the incoming call is sent to the headset.
US 2007/0047708 A1 discloses a wireless headset with a voice reply system for handling an incoming call. The headset is provided with a caller ID module, which can convert a caller ID present in the incoming call to caller information that can be presented acoustically to the user. The user can handle the call by spoken commands.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,413 B2 discloses a telephone system wherein call related information regarding a called party, such as caller ID, is returned to the calling party. In this way, the caller can be informed of the identity of the called party and in this way be confirmed that he dialed the correct number.
US 2007/0207767 A1 discloses a headset that comprises voice announcement and voice recognition, which are used to pair or connect the headset to a connection point. During the paring or connecting process, the headset asks the user for parameters. The user speaks the required information into the headset. When the connection has succeeded, a voice prompt tells the user that the headset is now connected.
During use, the headset forms a connection endpoint of a communication channel. Different devices can constitute the other endpoint. For example, the other endpoint can be a phone placed in a different house, city or country. The communication channel can contain different connection points through which communication between the two endpoints takes place. The first connection point after the headset can be a mobile phone. The next connection point is typically a nearby placed mobile phone tower. Then there are several connection points within the cabled communication network and switching system. The last connection point, which constitutes the second endpoint, is at the other end of the communication channel and is typically a mobile phone, a PSTN telephone, an IP phone (Internet Protocol telephone), a personal computer or the like. When the headset user wants to communicate via the headset, he creates a communication channel comprising connection points. Only some of these connection points can be selected by the headset user. Off course, the headset user can choose which phone number (connection point) he wants to call, but many connection points in the telecommunications network between the headset user's own phone and the called persons phone cannot be selected by the headset user. However, if the headset is connected to or can be connected to different telecommunication devices, these are typically connection points, which can be selected by the headset user.
A Bluetooth headset according to the preamble of claim 1 is sold under the brand Jabra BT 8010. This headset has a small display and a memory storing an internal phone book and a call list with the last 15 received or missed calls. It is possible to initiate a telephone call by choosing a number or contact from the phone book or call list. The Jabra BT8010 headset can be simultaneously connected to two mobile phones. One mobile phone has status as primary device and the other mobile phone has status as secondary device. It is only possible to initiate phone calls via the primary mobile phone. It is possible to change the secondary mobile phone to the primary mobile phone by pressing a button on the headset. An audio indication in the speaker indicates that the primary mobile phone has shifted. The display shows which mobile phone is the primary device and which is the secondary device.
A drawback of the Jabra BT8010 headset is that the user must take the headset off the head and study the display, if he is in doubt of which phone is the primary device.